Hydnophytum formicarum

Names and Synonyms

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Hydnophytum formicarum subsp. zollingeri
• Hydnophytum formicarum subsp. blumei
• Hydnophytum andamanense
• Hydnophytum amboinense
• Bantiala nigra
• Hydnophytum formicarum blumei
• Hydnophytum gaudichaudii
• Hydnophytum formicarum dubium
• Hydnophytum inerme
• Hydnophytum formicarum f. siamense
• Hydnophytum intermedium
• Hydnophytum formicarum zollingeri
• Hydnophytum leytense
• Hydnophytum membranaceum
• Hydnophytum sumatranum
• Hydnophytum selebicum
• Hydnophytum formicarum subsp. dubium
• Hydnophytum mindorense
• Hydnophytum formicarum subsp. siamense
• Hydnophytum montanum
• Myrmecodia inermis
• Hydnophytum nitidum
• Hydnophytum orbiculatum
• Hydnophytum coriaceum
• Hydnophytum blumei
• Hydnophytum borneense
• Lasiostoma formicarum
• Hydnophytum formicarum var. latifolium
• Hydnophytum montanum var. latifolia
• Hydnophytum formicarum var. longifolium
• Hydnophytum formicarum var. minor
• Hydnophytum formicarum var. borneense
• Hydnophytum formicarum var. buxifolium
• Hydnophytum formicarum var. cochincinense
• Hydnophytum formicarum var. lucidum

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Gentianaales, it is classified under the family Rubiaceae. Specifically, it is identified by the genus Hydnophytum, with the species name Hydnophytum formicarum.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant is widely distributed across the Indo-China region, where it thrives in various tropical habitats. Specifically, its presence can be documented throughout the diverse landscapes of Cambodia and Myanmar. It is also commonly found growing within the territories of Thailand and Vietnam. Furthermore, the species extends its reach to the unique environment of the Andaman Islands. This broad range highlights the plant's significant ecological footprint throughout Southeast Asia.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Life history

The life history of Hydnophytum formicarum is characterized by its specific growth habit and survival strategy, classified biologically as a chamaephyte. Within the various ecological life-form systems, it is specifically identified as a chamaephyte under both the general and detailed classification frameworks, indicating that its perennating buds are located near or just above the soil surface. This life form allows the plant to withstand environmental fluctuations by maintaining its vital structures close to the ground, facilitating its persistence in its native habitat through seasonal cycles.

Life form :

chamaephyte

Morphology

The morphology of Hydnophyteum formicarum is characterized by a complex growth habit that transitions between various ecological niches, exhibiting a range of habitats from aquatic and semiaquatic to terrestrial environments. It functions as a self-supporting climber, possessing the structural capacity to grow without the need for external support, whether as a liana, vine, or through its own independent architecture. In terms of its physical stature, the plant presents a growth form that can be categorized as both a shrub and a subshrub, displaying a degree of woodiness that is variable across its development. Furthermore, it exhibits specialized epiphytic behavior, specifically acting as a holoepiphyte that is obligatory in its reliance on host structures, despite maintaining an independent status in terms of parasitism.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

holoepiphyte

Epiphyte :

obligatory

Growth form :

shrub

Growth form :

subshrub

Parasite :

independent

Woodiness :

variable

Reproduction

The reproduction of Hydnophytum formicarum is characterized by the production of highly uniform seeds, which play a critical role in its life cycle and dispersal mechanisms. Based on empirical data, the seeds exhibit a remarkably consistent weight profile with no observed variation between the minimum and maximum recorded values. The seed mass is measured at a constant mean of 0.0029 g, with both the minimum and maximum seed mass values also precisely recorded at 0.0029 g. This lack of deviation in seed mass suggests a highly stabilized reproductive output, ensuring that each individual seed carries a standardized amount of nutrient reserves to support early seedling development.

Seed mass mean:

0.0029 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Hydnophytum formicarum has 10 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Butin, Flavonoids, Protocatechualdehyde, STIGMASTEROL, Sinapinic acid.

Butin

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Flavonoids

1. Narra J

Protocatechualdehyde

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

STIGMASTEROL

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Sinapinic acid

1. BMC complementary and alternative medicine

Steroids

1. Narra J

Tannins

1. Narra J

Terpenoids

1. Narra J

butein

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

isoliquiritigenin

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Activities

Hydnophytum formicarum has 3 reported activities identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antimicrobial, Antiparasitic, Cardiovascular.

Antimicrobial

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Antiparasitic

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Cardiovascular

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Conditions

Hydnophytum formicarum has 7 reported investigations on conditions identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include T- cell leukemia, cancer, cervical cancer, colon cancer, diarrhea.

T- cell leukemia

1. BMC complementary and alternative medicine

Cancer

1. BMC complementary and alternative medicine

Cervical cancer

1. BMC complementary and alternative medicine

Colon cancer

1. BMC complementary and alternative medicine

Diarrhea

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Hepatitis

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Rheumatism

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Preparations

Hydnophytum formicarum has 3 reported preparations identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include ant nest extract, methanol extracts, tuber of the ant nest plant extracted using methanol.

Ant nest extract

1. Narra J

Methanol extracts

1. Biological & pharmaceutical bulletin

Tuber of the ant nest plant extracted using methanol

1. Narra J